Slidable drawer structure



Jan. 23,' 1968 K. H. GUTNER SLIDABLB DRAWER STRUCTURE Filed June 1, 1967m W 7 H 2 T 7 E 2 N AWN,

United States ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLDSURE A dresser or like structurehaving a slidable drawer wherein the sliding movement of the drawer isfacilitated by a channel-shaped slide operating in conjunction with agrooved guide, the slide having a specified range of critical dimensionsto insure smooth sli-din of the drawer, particularly when the drawer isalmost fully withdrawn from the dresser.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application,Ser. No. 579,401, now Patent No. 3,328,107, filed Sept. 14, 1966.

S ummary f invention A principal function of a drawer slide issmoothness of controlled operation. To achieve this goal, the slide mustride smoothly on its associated guidewhich is usually constructed ofwood. Optimum results are obtained when the slide is essentially rigidin combination with the somewhat resilient or yielding wooden guidemember. According to the invention, this is achieved through the use ofsteel, i.e., a ferrous material. Such a slide stands up well underdifferent pressure changes and is not adversely affected by temperaturechanges. A particular change that is critical is the one that isencountered in the factory when the dresser is baked in the finishingprocess and resistance to thermal deformation is critical in maintainingsmoothness of drawer slidability.

The smooth ridability of the inventive construction is achieved throughthe functioning of two structures within the slide. The first structureprovided in the invention is certain critical reinforcing ribbing. Theribbing is particularly significant in the upper corners of thechannelshaped slide and is responsible for maintaining end portions ofthe bottom flangethe critical ridable portions in its original planerelative to the remainder of the flange so as to achieve this smoothridability.

A second structure within the slide is a funnel-type entry developed byflaring the rear ends of the flanges to prevent slicing off the wood andthereby permanently damaging the soft wood guidea damaged guidenaturally resulting in inferior operation of the drawer.

The invention is explained in conjunction with an illustrativeembodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a dresser or like structurewhich accommodates a plurality of drawers, the confining structure beingshown in phantom line;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drawer equipped with the inventiveslide when viewed from the lower rear;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inventive slide asviewed from the rear end on a scale generally enlarged relative to FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the extremelefthand portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view in fragmentary form such aswould be seen along the sight line 55 of FIG. 4; and

' amt FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 ofFIG. 1.

In the illustration given, the numeral 10 designates generally a dresseror like structure which is seen to accommodate a plurality of slidabledrawers, The instant invention finds particular use in dressers wherethe openings for receiving the drawers have a horizontal dimension notin excess of about 48", i.e., the width dimension of the drawer 11 seenin FIG. 1. Further, dressers normally have depths less than about 24" sothat the depth of the drawer measured from front to back, is not inexcess of about 24". Still further, the instant invention is concernedwith the slidable feature of such a dresser drawer and this is normallyachieved through the provision of a guide member 12 (seen only in FIGS.1 and 6) as part of the dresser. For this purpose, the dresser frame isnormally equipped with a slide-slotted center guide for the underside ofthe drawer with the guide extending generally perpendicularly to theopening receiving the drawer.

Fixed to the underside of the drawer 11 is a slide generally designated13. The slide 13 is channel-shaped as can be readily appreciated from aconsideration of FIGS. 3, 4 and 6. The slide 13 at its rear end isequipped with a turned-up tab 14 suitably secured to the rear face orpanel 15 of the drawer by means of stapling or the like as at 16.

The other end of the slide 13, i.e., the forward end, is equipped with atab portion as at 17 (so designated in FIGS. 2 and 3) which is receivedwithin a corresponding slot in the front panel 18 of the drawer 11.Further details of this construction as well as that of the foldedportion 16 can be seen in my co-pending application identified above.

The slide 13 is seen to be channel-shaped or, more precisely, generallyC-shaped in cross-section (see particularly FIG. 6.) The slide 13, inits C-shaped transverse section defines a generally horizontallydisposed top wall 19 which I have discovered to require an outsidehorizontal dimension in the range of about 4;" to about 1 /2 for thesize drawer specified aboveand when the gauge of the steel material ofconstruction of the slide is lighter than about 16-gauge, i.e., in therange 18-gauge to 24- gauge. Here it will be appreciated that not onlyis it desirable to utilize lighter gauges for the sake of economy andease of handling, but also the lighter gauge material in the slideresults in less weight in the drawer and therefore less wear on thesliding surfaces of the drawer, frame, and guide. Further, the slide 13includes generally vertical side walls in its transverse section as at20 (see FIG. 6) and I find the critical dimensions of these for thestructure specified to be in the range of about A" to about 1'. Thevertical side walls 20 are turned inwardly as at 21 to provide integralflanges which cooperate with elongated slots 22 (designated only in FIG.6) provided in the guide 12.

The slide 13 adjacent its rear or inserted end is equipped with aplurality of transversely-extending ribs as at 23, 24, 25 and 26 (seethe lefthand portion of FIG. 3). The ribs in the illustration givenextend from one flange 21 to the other flange 21 (this designation beinggiven only in FIG. 3). Excellent results are obtainable when the ribbingis provided only in the vicinity of the upper corners as is designatedby the symbol R in FIG. 6. In that dimension, it is seen that the ribextends at least part way across the top wall 19 and part way down theside wall Ztl. When ribbing of this nature is provided, there isdeveloped an advantageous stabilization of the flanges 21 so as tomaintain them essentially coplanar notwithstanding various stressesimparted to the drawer. It will be appreciated that when the drawer isvirtually fully pulled out, its entire weight as well as the weight ofits contents may be focused on the extreme rear end of the slide,particularly the rear ends of the flanges 2i and 21 so as to deform therear flange portions out of the plane of the remainder of the flanges.This is effectively opposed and resisted by the ribs 23-25, particularlythe portions thereof that are provided at the upper corners as at R. Itwill further be appreciated that smooth ridability of the drawer withinthe dresser frame, particularly the guide 12, is facilitated throughmaintaining the flanges 21 and 21' in the above-mentioned planarcondition.

For this purpose, I find that it is essential to have at least two ribsof the character indicated, such as at 25 and 26. Each rib, for theinstallation described in detail above, i.e., for drawers of the sizespecified and using the material and dimensions of slide already given,each rib should outstand from the junction of the top and side walls ofthe C-shaped slide by at least about 1 but not more than about Further,the ribs should be spaced apart at least by about i.e., the dimensiondesignated S in FIG. 4, but not more than about 1".

As mentioned previously, I employ a funnel-type configuration at theextreme rear of the slide 13 and optimum results are obtained when onlythe terminal portions of the flanges 21 and 21 are flared outwardly,i.e., downwardly from the plane of the remaining portion of theassociated flange as at 27 in FIGS. 3-6. I find that the best resultsare achieved when end rib 26 is only partially formed in the slide 13 soas to develop a Z-shape such as is generally shown and designated by thenumeral 28 in FIG. 5. In other words, the rib 26 has a wall portion 29extending generally away from the plane 343 of the flange 21. Incontrast to the other ribs, i.e., the ribs 2325, there is no return wallbut instead the material of the flange 21 is continued from the extremeouter portion of the rib 'rearwardl'y and then flared away from the topWall 19 as is best seen at the extreme upper lefthand portion of FIG. 5.The flare provided at 27 I find should not amount to more than aboutwhen employed in conjunction with a slide-in drawer defined as above.

In operation, utilizing a slide of the character hereinbefore describedin detail, a drawer can be opened and closed a great number of timeswithout destroying smooth ridability of the drawer within the associatedsupport structure. In particular, the drawer can be extended out of thedresser and caused to be supported primarily on the extreme rear endportion of the slide with no dilatorious effect. Such an operation isparticularly important in middle-price and lower-price dressers whereelaborate slide features are inappropriate. Such dressers usually arepurchased by young couples with children who can be hard on furniture,children hanging on dresser drawers and in other Ways exertingextraordinary stress.

Through the practice of the invention, I am able to provide a dresserwhich provides a drawer suitably constructed for smooth ridabilitythroughout its life, notwithstanding the imposition of extraordinarystresses on the portions that are important for the smooth ridability ofthe drawer. In the illustrated version, the drawer, in effect, rides ona series of spaced areas as at 31 in FIG. 4 to further impart smoothmovement.

I claim:

1. In a novel slida'ole drawer structure comprising a frame such as adresser or the like having a generally rectangular drawer-receivingfront opening, the horizontal dimension of which is not in excess of48", a drawer slidably received in said opening and having a length notin excess of 24", said frame being equipped with an elongatedslide-slotted center guide for the underside of said drawer with saidguide extending generally perpendicular to said opening, and elongatedslide fixed to the underside of said drawer and slidably engaging saidguide, said slide being generally C-shaped in transverse section toengage said guide slots, said C-shape defining a horizontal top wallintegrated with vertical side walls and inwardly extending flangesintegrated with said side walls beiow said top wall, the improved slideconstruction characterized by the fact that said slide is constructed offerrous material having a gauge lighter than 16-gauge with the outsidevertical dimension of said slide being in the range of about $4" toabout 1" and the outside horizontal dimension being in the range ofabout at," to about 1 said slide adjacent the end thereof adjacent theinserted end of said drawer being equipped with at least twotransversely-extending ribs longitudinally spaced apart by at leastabout A but not more than about 1", each rib outstanding from thejunction of the top and side walls of said C-shape by at least but notmore than about and extending at least part way over said top and sidewalls whereby said ribs in conjunction with the material of constructionstabilize the orientation of said flanges when the weight of said draweris concentrated primarily on the rear portion of said flanges so as toimpart smooth ridability of said drawer on said guide throughoutsubstantially the entire withdrawal movement of said drawer relative tosaid frame.

2. The construction of claim 1 in which said ribs are continuous aboutsaid C-shape from one flange to the other flange.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which the rib closest to the rear end ofsaid slide includes in the flange portions thereof a wall portionextending generally transversely of the length of said slide to define agenerally Z-shape in longitudinal section with one leg of the Z beinggenerally co-planar with the rest of said flange and the other leg beingspaced laterally outwardly therefrom, said other leg of said Z-shape atits end being flared outwardly to provide a funnel-like entry forengaging said slide with said guide.

4. In a novel slidable drawer structure comprising a frame such as adresser or the like having a generally rectangular drawer-receivingfront opening, the horizontal dimension of which is not in excess of48", a drawer slidably received in said opening and having a length notin excess of 24", said frame being equipped with an elongatedslide-slotted center guide for the underside of said drawer with saidguide extending generally perpendicular to said opening, and elongatedslide fixed to the underside of said drawer and slidably engaging saidguide, said slide being generally C-shaped in transverse section toengage said guide slots, said C-shape defining a horizontal top wallintegrated with vertical side walls and inwardly extending flangesintegrated with said side walls below said top wall, the improved slideconstruction characterized by the fact that said slide is constructed offerrous material having a gauge lighter than ltd-gauge with the outsidevertical dimension of said slide being in the range of about A to about1" and the outside horizontal dimension being in the range of about toabout 1 said flanges at the rear end of said slide being flareddownwardly not more than about References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,559,322 7/ 1951 Skamser 312346 2,841,460 7/1958 Rainier 312-347 X2,992,057 7/1961 Maxwell 312-432 3,050,357 8/1962 Hillson et al. 3123323,185,530 5/1965 Reiss et al 312346 X 3,201,187 8/1965 Reiss et al312346 3,328,107 6/1967 Gutner 312347 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,314 12/1934Switzerland.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

